Writing Contests, Grants & Awards

The Writing Contests, Grants & Awards database includes details about the creative writing contests—including poetry contests, short story competitions, essay contests, awards for novels, and more—that we’ve published in Poets & Writers Magazine during the past year. We carefully review the practices and policies of each contest before including it. Ours is the most trusted resource for legitimate writing contests available anywhere.

Awards are given annually for books published in the United States during the previous year to recognize "outstanding literary achievement from the entire spectrum of America's diverse literary community."...

Three prizes are given annually to writers residing in California for books of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction (including creative nonfiction) published during the previous year. Prizes are also given...

Four prizes of $500 each are given annually for a poetry collection, a first novel, a book of fiction, and a book of nonfiction (including creative nonfiction) by an African American writer published in...

A prize of $500 is given annually for a first novel by a U.S. author published during the previous year. Authors, publishers, and agents may submit three copies of a novel published in 2016 by March 11....

Two prizes of $500 each are given annually for a poetry e-book and a fiction e-book by an African American writer self-published in the United States during the previous year. The awards honor books that...

Two prizes of $1,000 each and publication by BkMk Press are given annually for a poetry collection and a short story collection. Submit a manuscript of 50 to 110 pages of poetry or 125 to 300 pages of...

Prizes of $1,000 each are given annually for books of poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and translation published in the previous year by authors residing west of the Mississippi River. The winners...

Two prizes of $1,000 each are given annually for books of poetry and fiction published during the previous year. The Milt Kessler Poetry Book Award is given for a poetry collection of at least 48 pages....

A prize of $1,000 is given annually to an Ohio fiction writer or creative nonfiction writer age 30 or under who has not published a book. Writers born in Ohio or who have lived in Ohio for a minimum of...

A prize of $1,000, publication by Black Lawrence Press, and 10 author copies is given annually for a novel. The editors will judge. Using the online submission system, submit a manuscript of 90 to 1,000...

Three prizes of $1,000 each and an all-expenses-paid trip to give a reading at the Devil's Kitchen Fall Literary Festival at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale in October are given annually for a...

Two prizes of $1,000 each and publication by Willow Books are given annually for a poetry collection and a book of fiction or creative nonfiction by writers of color. Using the online submission system,...

A prize of $1,000, publication by Livingston Press, and 100 author copies is given annually for a first collection of short stories by a U.S. citizen. Fiction writers who have not published a short story...

Two prizes of $1,000 each are given annually for a poetry collection and a novel published during the previous two years. Submit a book published in 2015 or 2016 with a $25 entry fee by December 31....

A prize of $1,000 and publication by University of Alaska Press is given in alternating years for a book of poetry, fiction, or nonfiction. The 2017 prize will be given for a book of poetry. Jericho...

A prize of $1,000 and publication by Press 53 is given annually for a story collection. Kevin Morgan Watson will judge. Submit a manuscript of 100 to 250 pages with a $30 entry fee by December 31. Visit...

A prize of $1,000 and publication by Red Hen Press will be given annually for a book of fiction or nonfiction by a woman. Aimee Bender will judge. Using the online submission system, submit a story or...

A prize of €1,000 (approximately $1,090) and publication in the Fish Publishing anthology is given annually for a short short story. Chris Stewart will judge. Submit a story of up to 300 words with a 14...

Two prizes of $1,500 each are given annually for a poetry collection and a book of fiction published during the previous year. Authors and publishers may submit three copies of a book published in 2016 (...

A prize of $1,500 and publication by Mad River Books, the trade imprint of Ohio State University Press, is given annually for a collection of short prose. Michael Kardos will judge. Using the online...

Grants of up to $1,500 are given annually to feminist poets, fiction writers, and nonfiction writers who are citizens of the United States or Canada. The current round of grants will be awarded to poets...

Two prizes of $2,000 each and publication by Sarabande Books are given annually for collections of poetry and fiction. For the Kathryn A. Morton Prize in Poetry, submit a manuscript of at least 48 pages...

Three prizes of $2,500 each are given annually for books of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction published in the previous year. Books by writers who were born in or are residents of Virginia or, in the case...

Two prizes of $3,000 each and publication by University of Nebraska Press are given annually for a poetry collection and a short story collection. An editorial board will select finalists; Kwame Dawes...

A prize of up to $4,000 is given annually for a book of fiction or creative nonfiction published during the previous year by a writer who is a resident of the Midwest (or who previously resided in the...

A prize of $5,000 is given annually for a first novel published during the previous year. The winner and the winner's agent will also receive lodging and travel expenses to attend the First Novelist...

Fellowships of $5,000 each, membership to the Center for Fiction in New York City, and access to writing space at the Center are given annually to fiction writers living in New York City who have not yet...

Fellowships of $5,000 each are given annually to poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers who have lived in the state of Alabama for at least two years. Using the online submission system...

Two prizes of $5,500 each and publication by a participating press are given annually for a poetry collection and a short story collection. In addition, two prizes of $2,500 each and publication by a...

A prize of $7,500 is given annually for a book of fiction or creative nonfiction published during the previous year. The winner also receives a weeklong, all-expenses-paid summer residency at Chautauqua...

A prize of $7,500 is given annually for a book of fiction published during the previous year by a woman who is a U.S. citizen. Publishers may submit four copies of a novel or collection of short fiction...

Prizes of $10,000 each are given annually for books of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction (including creative nonfiction) published during the previous year that "contribute to our understanding of racism...

A prize of $10,000, publication by &NOW Books, an imprint of Lake Forest College Press (with distribution by Northwestern University Press), and a three-week residency at Lake Forest College is given...

A prize of $10,000 is given annually for a full-length fiction or nonfiction manuscript about serious physical illness by a writer who has personal experience with life-threatening illness. The winner...

Two prizes of $10,000 each are given annually for translations from French into English of a book of fiction and a book of nonfiction (including creative nonfiction) published during the previous year. A...

A prize of $10,000 and publication by Restless Books will be given in alternating years for a book of fiction and a book of nonfiction by a first-generation resident of the United States. The 2016 prize...

Four yearlong residencies at San José State University in San José, California, which include a stipend of $10,000 each, are given annually to fiction writers and creative nonfiction writers. The fellows...

A prize of 10,000 (approximately $12,200) is given annually for a previously published short story by an African writer. Shortlisted candidates will receive 500 (approximately $610). Writers who were...

Grants of $25,000 each are awarded in alternating years to poets and prose writers. This year grants will be awarded to prose writers. Fiction and creative nonfiction writers who have published at least...

Two residencies, cosponsored by the Texas Institute of Letters, at a rural retreat west of Austin are given annually to writers who are native Texans, who have lived in Texas for at least three years, or...

An academic year in residence, which includes a stipend of at least $30,000, at the University of Wisconsin in Madison is given annually to up to six writers working on a first or second book of poetry...

Two nine-month residencies at Colgate University, including a stipend of $40,500, health benefits, and travel expenses, are given annually to poets, fiction writers, or nonfiction writers. The 20172018...